It was reported that phosphatidylinositol3-kinase/Protein Kinase B/Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway was involved in the autophagy induced by silicon dioxide exposed, and autophagy may play a protective role in the process of pulmonary fibrosis (83). The gene discussed is MTOR; the disease is pulmonary fibrosis.